Japan's tourist destinations are actively invested in shaping the future of the tourism industry. The concept is to promote sustainable tourism, creating towns that may have the potential to attract tourists and developing tourist areas over the next five to ten years and beyond. In Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, famous for its thatched roof, the tourism industry is partnering with manufacturing companies. For instance, a company making traditional Japanese crafts developed a product together with a foreign designer. They exhibited their products at international trade fairs held abroad on a few ocassions, helping these products "made in Gifu" gain recognition outside of Japan. As a result, buyers, media representatives, and many people began to visit Gifu. In addition, hands-on workshops for making traditional crafts, such as Mino washi paper and knives, which have been handed down for as long as 1,300 years, are held. Thanks to these initiatives, many foreign tourists are able to experience the culture of traditional Japanese crafts.